Baker: Cruz is staying in Chicago

May 08, 2003

Anyone holding their breath waiting for the Cubs to deal reliever Juan Cruz had better exhale soon, at least according to Cubs manager Dusty Baker.

That includes potential suitors.

"They can want whoever they want," Baker said Wednesday. "I'm sure teams want [Mark] Prior and [Kerry] Wood and a whole bunch of guys. Who they want and who they get are two different things. They're not getting Cruz."

Desperately seeking lefties: Baker is searching for a decent left-handed pitcher to throw batting practice to Cubs hitters in preparation for the Cardinals' lefty relievers. "We're desperately searching," he said. "I'm looking over the Cards' roster, and they have three pretty good left-handers in the bullpen, and that may offset our left-handers on the bench."

Dodging one: Joe Borowski's sixth save was his scariest to date, but he managed to get out of a jam in the ninth by striking out John Vander Wal and Royce Clayton with runners on first and third. "After we shook hands after the game, I told him, 'Sometimes you've got to work for it,' " catcher Damian Miller said.